Tag Archives: transphobia

Three conversations. Well, two and one friend thinking out loud. And one last one.

Conversation 1

M.S.Shout out to all the trans people (especially people of colour) out there who continue to endure their struggles without financial security, family backing, safety and security from violence and media popularity points. You deserve better than the shit you get dealt with on a daily basis.

Society just apparently needs a few days to feel good about itself for supporting one privileged person. The rest of you are not all forgotten by all of us, I promise.

M.S.Don’t get me wrong – I think it’s great that someone, regardless of their status in society and their privilege (or lack of) can finally become the person that they know they really are and want to be. It’s wonderful, no matter what.

However, to call

Caitlyn a “trailblazer for trans rights” is a joke. I don’t honestly believe society is going to suddenly become more accepting of trans folks just because one privileged celebrity transitioned and gained media spotlight over it. The same masses of people shouting out support for Caitlyn can’t even be bothered to see how horribly messed up it is that trans people have been murdered in the double digits in the US alone so far this year. But we’re gonna splash Caitlyn on the front of a magazine and call that a step in the right direction while ignoring all the injustices that have been going on for years and years? What the hell kind of blanketed progress is that?

Progress does not come when the rich and privileged are treated right. It starts with those who have been thrown into the bottom end of society

S. R.^___ exactly. Is she were from a low income and Racialised she wouldn’t even be acknowledged

Also: there are a lot of Trans* spaces that don’t get much attention, when white led campaigns and actors do:

Kim At Cwtp has been doing great work for years for the Trans community at UofT’s Centre for Women and Trans People.

That’s a place where a lot of TPOC come.

M. S.Furthermore on that, can we just compare this? Laverne Cox and Janet Mock – 2 black trans women who use their fame and voice to travel and talk about real issues and do actual advocacy work.

Caitlyn Jenner, a rich white republican woman does a photo shoot and an article to talk about herself.

But hey, let’s pay attention to the one making waves, right?

C. H.I’d be much happier if they had either Janet Mock or Laverne Cox on that magazine cover tbh. Thanks for writing this!

M. S.:C- only problem is Laverne and Janet probably don’t have that extra money to pay a world famous photographer to get their photo on a “notable” magazine

C. H.Is that it? I’m not sure if that’s how vanity fair or magazines in general works. They clearly selected Caitlyn for the fact that she’s in the spotlight right now and drawing attention of people. Its all about who would pick up a copy of the magazine based on who is on the cover

We need a “portal” of some sort that highlights and promotes Trans* people of colour as community activists, community leaders, INSPIRE Awards‘ nominees, Toronto artists and designers and as future political candidates…

Otherwise the media will keep going to the white Trans* people or cis people who represent us.

M. S.:C–, you also made a very important point. Why was she selected for a cover article? Sales. Does the magazine suddenly care about trans folks? Do they suddenly feel like it’s time for social change in the right direction?

Hardly.

It all sales. Money. Revenue. What is peaking the (brainless) masses’ interest. Again – nothing in the article covering social justice, or speaking out against bathroom discrimination bills. Just useless chatter about one person talking about themselves, yet again. And money is to be made from that. Cos heaven knows, social change isn’t a money-maker.

Conversation 2.

S. C.Kind of feels like Cox is disappointed in the choice Jenner made?

She seems to be celebrating the generally positive reception of the Vanity Fair splash by taking the opportunity to bring attention to the impact of privilege, class, and traditional views of beauty on the trans community. I lik

ed her caution that the diversity of the community is not yet even close to being captured and her call to action to provide support for many in the community who are struggling with the day-to-day. Time and VF covers are cultural milestones but more work is to be done…

S. C.Oh, I didn’t get that sense. Cox could’ve just done a full-on congrats and left it at that. Maybe because Jenner is a Republican and numerous have noted she’s always been an uncritical fame seeker, but I really get a sense that Cox is sending a message to Jenner here or to the public and that she’s also thinking through her own engagement with beauty standards and all the intersections. Could be wrong! But seems like she’s worried about Jenner as a role model.

Freddie ArpsI feel that she is critical of Jenner as well as of herself- of not making sure that her story is about more than her own feelings, struggle and beauty.

Maybe she realizes that cis people by and large didn’t hear her at all.

I think she feels guilty about being naive? Her photoshoot didn’t lead people to look at her as a person but as a benchmark for transitioned women…

I definitely read a warning from her to all privileged Trans* people.

This is the second time she makes the particular point about most Trans* people not having access to healthcare, safety, security, washrooms, a living wage…

Cause when it’s white it’s right:
Carefully watches on as ‪#‎CallMeCaitlyn‬ opens the eyes of blinded wp while while Trans and Gender non conforming Black, Indigenous and Womyn of Color stand back miming “but we’ve been saying this for decades, look at our blood spilled in the streets …”‪#‎StigmaKills‬‪#‎Dignity4AllWomyn‬

Doug KerrThere is lots of blame to go around – North American fundamentalist churches, British colonial laws, the Jamaican government, Jamaican churches, Jamaican media…. Homophobia & transphobia knows no boundaries.

Akio MaroonAbsolutely true, but often the direct and continued impact Canada and the US currently has on Jamaica isn’t illuminated. But we stand in awe and applaud Caitlyn while denying that same freedom to others. Highlighting our hypocrisy is the point of my posts #CallmeCaitlyn

The day I see a white republican millionaire lady dedicate her fame/riches to the service of the housing, employing, feeding and proving health care and changing laws that target BIPOC Trans* womyn and girls; wether politically or through her own means then I gladly stfu but history dictates otherwise.
I will NOT be a party to the masbatory privilege gushing celebration while my people suffer. ‪#‎Callmecaitlyn‬

“trans women can’t pass for women. we ARE women.And not even women with a different kind of history. Women aren’t a monolith, there is no shared, universal experience of womanhood. You cannot pass as something you, in fact, actually are.”

Transgender Nepalis have grown up risking exclusion from society and, sometimes, their own families. Last month’s earthquake brought new problems – even finding a safe place to shelter was more difficult for them and other sexual minorities. […]

Tara Bhattarai is the head of the Nepal Red Cross Society’s gender and inclusion department.

She explains: “It’s our duty to support this vulnerable group. Many transgender people don’t get help from their families and are left to fend for themselves, even in times like this.”

Under Tara’s guidance, the Red Cross is working more closely with the Blue Diamond Society. In fact, the Red Cross is now raising awareness of minority groups among its staff and volunteers across the country. […]

Jessica Letch is a gender and protection advisor for the million Red Cross emergency earthquake operation in Nepal.

She was on the ground within days of the disaster and is determined that help will reach the most vulnerable – including women, children, people with disabilities and LGBTI people.

She says: “The Red Cross wants to respond to the diverse needs that exist within society, and avoid a one-size-fits-all approach.”

“It takes a little bit of a change in thinking, and the Red Cross wants to be part of that change.”

“Prosecutors appealed the judges’ decision as ‘perverse and irrational’ and The Federation of Gays, Lesbians, Bisexuals and Transsexuals is calling for the the two judges to be impeached.”

Doesn’t happen that often that prosecutors criticize a judge’s decision this harshly.

Argentina may have opened up marriage to same sex couples but the influence of the Catholic Church is still very, very strong and it preaches hate for women, girls, The Gays, Trans* people, sex workers, feminists… and on and on… All the while sitting on piles of gold and large tracts of land, eating grade 1 Argentinean steak, drinking expensive wines. But I digress.

“Piombo defended the ruling Monday in radio interviews , saying that the boy had already been ‘initiated by his father into the worst of worlds, leading him to depravation.’

He said that ‘as a result of that experience with the father, the child had showed signs of a transvestite conduct, of conduct we had to take into account.”